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In the end, it was a dominating performance heads-up that sealed a victory for Yaniv Birman in the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship. Coming into the day as the clear chip leader, he navigated his way past eight other players to secure the $236,238 in prize money and his first WSOP gold bracelet.

And there was plenty of competition at the final table, with four former bracelet winners, including eventual runner-up Jesse Martin who fell just short of adding a third bracelet to his collection.

Official Final Table Results

Position

Player

Country

Payout (USD)

1

Yaniv Birman

United States

$236,238

2

Jesse Martin

United States

$146,006

3

Ben Yu

United States

$99,340

4

Lee Salem

United States

$69,928

5

Matt Grapenthien

United States

$50,669

6

James Obst

Australia

$37,904

7

Joseph Cappello

United States

$29,306

8

Lars Gronning

United States

$23,443

"The cards were just running my way," said Birman. "I was just leaning on [Jesse Martin] all the time and the cards did all the work for me all day."

"I play aggressively; if they're going to play back at me it is what it is. I'm probably going to fold. But I'd rather two or three-bet it and see where I'm at. I feel more comfortable that way, but everybody here's a good player - there were no soft spots.

Birman said that one of the most important hands at the final table was a hand against Ben Yu. Three-handed he called down Yu in a pot, and then called a check-raise on seventh street with just a pair of fours - and was good!

"I put him on a straight," said Birman. "I called his hand. I put him on Jack-King or King-Nine. I called right away and I won with a pair of fours. It was a huge pot; if I lose I'm at a million instead of two and a half."

"I barely ever play tournaments so it's fun. I play once or twice a year. I got here Monday, and this was the first tournament I signed up for. The truth is I don't play much poker anymore. Stud is my favourite game - all types of Stud. I play a lot of high-limit games in L.A.

"I'm predominantly a businessman, and I just play poker for fun. [Winning a bracelet] is just a great feeling."

Jesse Martin missed out on a third bracelet and finished second

Final Day Recap

Birman took his aggressive style of play into the final table and his style was polar opposites to that of Lars Gronning, whose tight hand selection resulted in him getting his dwindling stack in once to triple, and again to become the first elimination at the hands of Joseph Cappello.

Such was the pace of eliminations during the early goings, that another player was eliminated almost straight away. Ben Yu made two pair on seventh street and James Obst failed to improve and was sent to the rail.

By the second break of the day, Birman was still topping the remaining six players with twice as many chips as Yu in second place. Birman would surge after making jacks-full against Matt Grapenthien, and Grapenthien would be the next elimination, again at the hands of Yu when Yu's buried fours held against the combo draw of Grapenthien.

Just like with the first two eliminations of the day, one elimination lead to another and Lee Salem soon found himself heading to the exit in fourth. Jesse Martin had made trips by sixth street, and Salem failed to improve and was eliminated.

Astonishingly, Birman had retained hold of his chip lead throughout the day without even eliminating a player. That would change three-handed as Birman pushed home his chip lead, with Birman going perfect-perfect to send Yu to the rail.

Such was the head of steam Birman had built up, heads-up play seemed to be an inevitability. Raise after raise, Birman won all the key pots, showing down two pair and a flush and being awarded the pot.

Although Martin did double through Birman, at the second time of asking he closed it out to take home his first WSOP bracelet and over $200,000 in prize money.

That concludes the PokerNews coverage of Event #38: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship, with Yaniv Birman following in the footsteps of last year's winner Mike Wattel.

Wednesday, June 20, 2018 11:25 PM Local Time

Jesse Martin Eliminated in 2nd Place ($146,006); Yaniv Birman Wins!

Jesse Martin open-completed for his last 40,000 and Yaniv Birman called dark.

Martin: / /
Birman: / /

With Birman making a pair of nines on seventh, and Martin unable to improve to a straight or a better pair, Martin was eliminated in 2nd place for a $146,006 payday.

Yaniv Birman

4,150,000

50,000

Jesse Martin

0

-50,000

Wednesday, June 20, 2018 11:24 PM Local Time

Birman on the Cusp

Yaniv Birman completed and Jesse Martin raised. Birman made it three bets and Martin called.

Martin check-called a bet on fourth street and then check-raised Birman on fifth street. Birman called.

Martin check-called another bet on sixth street.

Yaniv Birman: / /
Jesse Martin: / /

Martin check-called another bet on seventh street and Birman showed for a flush.

Yaniv Birman

3,350,000

695,000

Jesse Martin

800,000

-695,000

Wednesday, June 20, 2018 10:55 PM Local Time

Two Pair for Martin

Yaniv Birman had the bring-in and Jesse Martin completed. Birman called, and Martin bet out on fourth with Birman calling.

Birman took the betting lead on fifth and sixth, and Martin called each time.

Jesse Martin: / /
Yaniv Birman: / /

On seventh, Birman checked, Martin bet 100,000, and Birman called.

Martin tabled his for two pair, and Birman folded.

Yaniv Birman

2,655,000

-415,000

Jesse Martin

1,495,000

415,000

Wednesday, June 20, 2018 10:53 PM Local Time

Birman Wins on Fifth

Yaniv Birman had the bring-in and Jesse Martin completed. Birman made it two bets to go, and Martin called.

Birman bet out on fourth and Martin called, and when Birman made open aces on fifth and bet out, Martin folded.

Jesse Martin: /
Yaniv Birman: /

Yaniv Birman

3,070,000

170,000

Jesse Martin

1,080,000

-170,000

Wednesday, June 20, 2018 10:48 PM Local Time

Birman Takes a Chunk From Martin

On fourth and fifth street Jesse Martin bet and Yaniv Birman called both streets. Birman took the lead with open nines on sixth street at bet. Martin called.

Yaniv Berman: / /
Jesse Martin: / /

Berman bet the river and Martin called.

"Two pair," announced Berman, showing and that was good enough to take down the pot.

Yaniv Birman

2,900,000

400,000

Jesse Martin

1,250,000

-400,000

Wednesday, June 20, 2018 10:45 PM Local Time

Martin Wins Battle of Pairs on Fifth

Jesse Martin had the bring-in and Yaniv Birman completed. Martin called, and then check-called a bet on fourth street.

On fifth, Birman checked, Martin bet, and Birman folded.

Jesse Martin: /
Yaniv Birman: /

Yaniv Birman

2,500,000

-20,000

Jesse Martin

1,650,000

20,000

Wednesday, June 20, 2018 10:36 PM Local Time

Heads-Up Play Begins

The cards are now in the air for this heads-up match between Yaniv Birman and Jesse Martin.

Seat

Player

Country

Chips

Big Bets

1

Jesse Martin

United States

1,630,000

16

8

Yaniv Birman

United States

2,530,000

25

Heads Up

Wednesday, June 20, 2018 10:32 PM Local Time

Short Break

The two players are heading on a quick break before heads-up play begins.

Yaniv Birman

2,520,000

450,000

Jesse Martin

1,630,000

5,000

Wednesday, June 20, 2018 10:31 PM Local Time

Ben Yu Eliminated in 3rd Place ($99,340)

Yaniv Birman had the bring-in and Ben Yu completed. Birman made it two bets to go and Yu called.

Yu led out on fourth and fifth streets as Birman called, and on sixth, Yu bet and Birman raised. Yu called all in for his last 90,000, and the cards were revealed.

Yaniv Birman: /
Ben Yu: /

Birman had made a straight by fifth street and left Yu drawing dead to catching a queen for a bigger straight. Yu found the on seventh, and Birman the , and Yu was eliminated in 3rd place for a $99,340 payday.

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